


End of the Crusades

by Poppelganger



Category: Sound Horizon
Genre: Alternate Ending, Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-17
Updated: 2014-03-17
Packaged: 2018-01-16 03:00:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1329355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Poppelganger/pseuds/Poppelganger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Layla makes her choice.</p><p>An alternate ending to Holy War of Iberia.</p>
            </blockquote>





	End of the Crusades

"Layla," the demon asks, "What do you want?"

She doesn't answer.

She is elsewhere, dancing with the constellations reflected in her eyes, in the embrace of the memory of her parents, dreaming of what has been and what could have been.  She remembers the kind smile of her mother as she'd say, "Love survives everything," as though trying to make Layla believe her.  And she might have, if they lived in a difference place and were different people.  If her mother were still alive.

She reaches for the moon and it looks so far away.  She feels so small.

"Layla," the demon asks, "What do you want?"

She doesn't answer.

She points to the distance, where an army retreats on horseback, hooves clacking on the cobblestone road with each step.  "An army?" the demon asks.  She shakes her head.  "A kingdom?  Something more?  Layla, tell me what it is you want."

She is elsewhere, being pushed and pulled by a storm of emotion, of fears and longing, and she covers her face in her hands.  "Everything," she chokes.  The demon waits.  She is wading through deep waters, and there is a shore behind her and before her.  But the shore behind is far now, too far for her to possibly go back.

"Layla," the demon asks, "What do you want?"

"I want everything," she answers, "To burn."


End file.
